Where do you see your journey through education taking you? For many teachers, the answer is simple: building experience and climbing the ladder of promotions within schools.
Some teachers will think about their role and find it hard to feel enthusiastic about it continuing indefinitely. When this feeling strikes, it might be time to make a change.
Great teaching relies on educators feeling engaged and connected with what they’re doing.
But education is a vocation. Even if mainstream school life isn't working for you anymore, you can still keep teaching. There are so many other avenues for you to follow your passion.
Do you feel like you’re ready to change your teaching patterns this coming September? These alternative routes within education could help you fall back in love with your job.
SEN teaching
Every teacher will have encountered children with Special Educational Needs (SEN).
Whether they have Down Syndrome, autism or dyslexia, mainstream education has become a more inclusive place for SEN pupils. But there are still many special schools for children with particularly complex needs.
All schools need dedicated SEN teachers and practitioners. These educators navigate their pupils’ needs and help them learn in the ways that best suit them.
SEN provision incorporates many conditions. No two children will learn in exactly the same way. That means that every day as a SEN specialist will bring some new challenges. One thing’s for sure; your lesson plans will never be the same again.
A few years of experience as an SEN teacher will put you on the path to become a SENCo (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator). SENCos arrange provision of services for children registered as having SEN.
SENCos work with the headteacher and governing body to set strategy.
SENCos arrange assessments for EHC (Education, Health and Care) plans. They ensure that all staff are adhering to the school’s SEN code of practice.
SENCos also build partnerships with parents and third parties like the local council. It’s a varied role that takes originality, organisational nous and a great deal of compassion.
Working as a SEN teacher certainly isn’t easy. You’ll have to try out new teaching styles and manage challenging behaviour. But it’s also one of the most rewarding career paths in education. SEN teaching lets you make an incalculable difference to the lives of the children who need it most.
If you think working with children with special needs and disabilities might be the right path for you, we’re here to help.
Find out more about working in SEND
Tutoring
The Covid-19 pandemic widened pre-existing attainment gaps. National Tutoring Programme has now helped millions of pupils get back up to speed through small-group sessions. An army of teachers-turned-tutors have spearheaded this ambitious effort.
If you feel your work as a classroom teacher isn’t always having enough impact on the children who need it most, tutoring might be your path to making a difference again.
Private tutoring has been massively democratised by the NTP. This model is set to become a core part of the learning mix for some of the country's most disadvantaged pupils. We expect to see small group interventions become ever-more normalised in classrooms over the coming years. Experienced teachers should have no problems finding work as tutors.
This is a unique chance to transform pupils' outcomes. You'll hone new teaching skills and discover more about different pupils’ learning styles.
To find out more about how you can start working as a tutor in time for September, check out our hub page here.
